Note 31 — G

Garg; Gargbansi.—A sept of Râjputs. They represent themselves to be the descendants of the Rishi Garga who was the father of Sini, from whom, according to the Vishnu Purâna, the Gârgyas and Sainyas, “Brâhmans of Kshatriya race,” were sprung. The statement of the Bhâgavata is that Gârgya from a Kshatriya became a Brâhman. With him we reach an age when the modern distinctions of caste were unknown. In the Gargbansi are sometimes included the Chanamiya (q.v.). In Faizâbâd31 the sept assert that their ancestor the Rishi was summoned from Kanauj by Râja Dasaratha to assist him in performing the horse sacrifice; others say that Vikramaditya sent for him from Kaikaides on his restoration to Ajudhya. In the Eastern Districts of the North-West Provinces32 they are both Bhuînhârs and Chhatris, and in the latter caste they do not rank high.33 Those of the Garg Bhuînhârs, whose blood has not been tainted by admixture with inferior races, take a fair rank among Bhuînhârs. There can be no doubt that both are of the same stock. One division of the Chhatri branch is called Surhaniya, from Surhan in Pargana Mahul of Azamgarh. In Faizâbâd they are reputed to be thieves. The Chhatri sept are generally regarded as Bais of inferior stock.